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FLOWNEX SE 8.9.0 (2018)

We have launched our latest Flownex® SE 2018 release. As always we focus on bringing you simulation software that will improve results, reduce solving time and give you control over the outcomes.

The biggest addition is the expanded fluid models, which now includes the capability to model a “liquid-gas” mixture. We have also given attention to FMI support, added functionality that clearly indicates solving disabled components and links, as well as updating the CFX Generic Interface Coupling to reduce solving time.

 

MAJOR ENHANCEMENTS

Liquid Gas Mixtures

Flownex® has expanded the fluid models to include a “liquid-gas” fluid model capable of modelling a multi-component two-phase mixture.
Fig. 1 - Bearing Sump - Typical Application for a Liquid-Gas Mixture Model
The new “liquid-gas” fluid model in Flownex® is ideal for the accurate prediction of the flow regimes and pressure drop of air-oil flow in many industrial applications. For example, in aero-engines, air and lubrication oil are mixed in a bearing chamber, which is subsequently drained by a scavenging system comprising of a pump and piping system where the air and oil are separated. The complex nature of this two-phase flow, characterized by turbulence, a deformable phase interface, phase interaction, phase slip, and compressibility of the gas phase makes the mixture difficult to analyse and therefore makes these lubrication systems difficult to simulate. To overcome these difficulties, Flownex® has added an updated set of governing equations to describe the interaction of the phases. Additional pressure drop and flow regime correlations have also been added to provide a commercial solution to the design of pressurised lubrication systems.
Fig. 2 - Gas & Liquid Mixture Specified in Flownex

FMI Support

The ability has been added for Flownex® to export a network as a FMU (Functional Mockup Unit).
Fig. 3 - FMI (Functional Mock-up Interface)

This FMU is FMI 2.0 standard compliant and can be used for co-simulations in any FMI 2.0 co-simulation master application.

Fig. 4 - FMU Configurations Button available in the Configuration Tab
The FMU Configurations is described in more detail in Chapter 14 of the Flownex® General User Manual.

Disabled Solving

All solving disabled components and links are now clearly indicated with a red cross on the drawing canvas, as seen in Figure 5.

Fig. 5 - Disabled Solving Components

Data Transfer Links

An error or warning is now given when data transfer encounters NAN or infinity. There is a setting in the project settings where this can be controlled, as seen in Figure 6. There is also an option to pause simulation if error or warning occurs during data.

Fig. 6 - Data Transfer Settings in Edit Settings Dialog

Global Parameters

A list of current global parameters will now pop up when a user starts to type a global parameter in the property grid. To see the list, start typing the “$” symbol in a field in the property grid.

Fig. 7 - Global Parameters List

License Queueing

The capability was added to queue for a license. License queueing can be enabled from the Help ribbon, or from a button on the License error dialog.

Fig. 8 - License Queueing Capability added to Flownex

CFX Generic Interface Coupling

The CFX Generic Interface Coupling component has been updated to reduce solving time. The previous component passed boundary conditions to the CFX solver, started the CFX solver, waited for the CFX solver results and used the results together with expressions in CFD-Post (CFX post processing tool) to return updated boundary conditions. The CFX solver and CFD-Post tools therefore started and stopped each time where information was transferred. The new coupling allows the Flownex® and ANSYS CFX solvers to run uninterruptedly while updating variables between the environments based on User Fortran routines. CFD-Post is not used to retrieve the updated boundary conditions from the CFX solver results. The CFX solver will not be started and stopped every time information is transferred. This removes the overhead in the CFX processing and cuts the solving time dramatically.

Training Course

The Flownex® basic training course that is available on the Flownex® website for registered users was put onto the start page of Flownex®. The links on the page link to Youtube videos, so users need to have access to Youtube to view them. In countries without access users can view them by registering on the Flownex® website.
Fig. 9 - Training Course

MINOR ENHANCEMENTS

Databases

Added a dialog for the user to confirm if components should be deleted from the project or an external database.

API

Added a function to NetworkBuilder so that the user can specify which fiber to use when connecting components/compounds with many fibers.

Convection Component

Added the capability for the user to specify a script defined heat transfer coefficient to the Convection element. The input options were changed to be more in line with other places that convection is specified.

Fig. 10 - Convection Element with Script Defined Heat Transfer Coefficient Input

Finned Tube Heat Exchanger

The Wall Heat Transfer Coefficient has been changed to a dynamic input, so that this input can be changed during a transient simulation, as seen in Figure 10.

Fig. 11 - Wall Heat Transfer Coefficient of the Finned-Tube Heat Exchanger

Nuclear Reactor

  • Added Flow element maximum velocity to the Reactor as a result.
  • Show velocity in x and y direction on nodes in the general fuel.
  • Show generated heat on flow nodes.

Nozzle & Rotating Nozzle

  • Added Flow element maximum velocity to the Reactor as a result.
  • Show velocity in x and y direction on nodes in the general fuel.
  • Show generated heat on flow nodes.

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